


Observation

by Mssilverwoods



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Killer boots, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24613594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mssilverwoods/pseuds/Mssilverwoods
Summary: Observation. Noun: observation; plural noun: observationsthe action or process of closely observing or monitoring something or someone."it was her date who stopped talking mid-sentence and left his mouth hanging open as he observed the new arrivals"
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

Arlene sipped from the glass of warm white wine and studied the stem of the glass with far more attention that it ever deserved. The action filled the silence between her and her date who played with the coaster in front of him with more attention than that too deserved. She hoped it would fall to the floor so they’d have something to chuckle about. She’s reached that awful point of the evening when any conversation would be a repetition and she’s nothing much to say beyond idle gossip which is a no-go for the PA of the Assistant Director of the FBI. Whatever she hears, never gets passed on, just filed away as a vague rumour somewhere in the depths of her memory. Instead she praised Agent Pendrell on his ability to flip and catch the coaster with one hand and he nervously talks about his childhood growing up in a bar and she relaxes a little. He does too. 

It brings to mind a conversation she had once with Agent Mulder about sunflower seeds and tongues after she had too much wine at a Christmas party. Not so much a conversation as she rambled at him and he'd sweetly indulged her by listening. She was saved by the distraction of Dana Scully. She didn’t see him alone again and she’s held her affection for the younger man in check ever since, somewhere beside her feelings for Walter Skinner. 

She wondered what Fox Mulder is doing right now. Or Walter. Would they be flipping bar mats like Pendrell or sat next to her sharing a joke, an arm draped over her shoulder perhaps. She asked herself why she’s here at all. Misery knows company, the unspoken words ‘thou shalt not covert someone else’s partner’ hang between them.

The awkwardness abated when the waiter delivered their plates and eating became the objective. Nevertheless it was her date who stopped talking mid-sentence and left his mouth hanging open as he observed the new arrivals. It was Arlene who told Pendrell that he might swallow a spaceship if he didn’t close it and misjudged her humour, realising that they lacked the chemistry of the couple who had caught his attention, and subsequently stole hers too.

She saw Agent Mulder first, looking extraordinary different, yet the same, dressed in a jeans and shirt that ought to be scruffy but looked as smart as he would in a suit. Arlene allowed herself a brief moment to admire him. Purely for observational reasons, she decided it being wrong to lust after the lover of a good friend. Potential. Long-term, she really isn't sure.

Arlene supposed that she shouldn’t be friends with Agent Scully. It felt wrong to chat about shoes and clothes with a woman who, along with Mulder, was considered to be the best shot in the FBI. A woman who only seemed to pay attention to her partner. Yet somehow as the minutes became hours in the anteroom of Skinner’s office, the two had chatted which led to coffee. Arlene watched her friend’s wardrobe morph from giant shoulder pads to sassy suits as Dana read Arlene’s donated fashion magazines. She listened as her friend drunkenly told her about her feelings for her partner in a bar. Arlene pushed aside a foggy memory of a conversation about bald men and sex drive that she dimly recalled taking place at the same time. So dim, she realised that Dana had never breathed a word of it, if she too had remembered.

Arlene wondered if Dana knew that Agent Mulder was here. His stance and height prevented her from immediately seeing his date. Would he really bring someone else to this opening night of a new bar? Arlene hopes it’s not Diana Fowley, she’s seen enough of her personnel file to warn both Mulder and Scully to watch themselves around that one. Her history with Muder is not as complex as Fowley has everyone believe. It has pained Arlene to see Dana question herself.

Arlene resolves to march up to Mulder and give him a peace of her mind if he’s brought someone else. Should she tell Dana, would that be fair? The possibilities rung up in her mind, not unlike the scary expenses claims she’d recently seen from the basement. There was that strange one with the Magic Fingers bed which she changed to a take-out from Magic Diner and wafted the approval past Walter whilst requesting her annual leave, a sure fire distraction for signing dubious paperwork. Walter's panic face isn't dissimilar from Fox Mulder's.

Then she saw Mulder move. Like a gift to be unwrapped, Dana Scully appeared from beside him with a big smile on her face. Arlene felt a sense of sisterly pride when saw her friend in a moss green dress and fuck-me boots that almost matched her hair colour, of which was fashioned into an informal bun on her head. Arlene quietly but politely cursed her friend for being a smaller dress and shoe size, and for being allowed touch Mulder’s ass. She forgives herself, any human would feel the same.

Arlene watched in fascination as Dana floated by Mulder’s side. Arlene realised that her friends had made clear demarcations about work and home. It was the first time she had seen them outside the office, clearly on a date. Their behaviour at work; the strange, unspoken communication, was amplified, like a dimmed bulb reaching full beam, blinding those around it. She chuckles, Diana might try, but Bigfoot dancing on a table armed with Jack Daniels would be hard pushed to distract Dana from Mulder or him from her.

They slipped into a booth, facing each other and almost immediately, Dana’s killer boots danced up Mulder’s legs, a wicked grin set on her face that her date seemed eager to kiss away. God help them both if Skinner turned up. Or was it vice-versa. Mind you, Arlene’s certain that Walter knows, he’s authorised their joint holiday requests too many times not to guess surely. 

Shaking her head with a soft smile, Arlene saw Pendrell looking pissed off and gently nudged his hand with hers which gained her a wary smile. 

‘Move over!’ Arlene waited for Pendrell to slide along the seat, and arranged the plates so she could sit to him. ‘If we’re going to spy on them, we may as well do it together!’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post Season 11 update

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments and warm welcome. Herewith fluff with extra fluff and dog.

Arlene swears. She didn’t mean to be quite so loud as she sat in the window of the coffee shop turning her head from the autumn sun towards the room and seeing whom she saw. An elderly lady on the table opposite throws her an aghast look before settling back into her seat with a prissy grunt. There’s not much time to waste and she finds herself nervously walking up to the counter, wondering if this is the right thing to do. “Dana?”

The woman in front of her turns in surprise, her face wary before suddenly breaking into a wide grin, “Arlene! Oh my goodness, look at you!” 

Arlene almost collapses in relief, she and Dana Scully hadn’t parted on good terms and she feels the swell of tears, “Oh gosh, I’m sorry, it’s so lovely to see you.”

“Do you want a coffee?” Dana orders their drinks as Arlene nods. “Good, I’m in no hurry.”

Arlene must have looked surprised as Dana laughs and admits that it’s nice to have some time before following her back to the window seat. Arlene takes a moment to study her friend who is dressed in jeans and a hoodie, nothing like her work clothing. Her hair is faded to copper and past her shoulders, a few wrinkles around her eyes but she looks much the same, if anything she looks better. 

“So how are you?” Dana smiles, settling down.

Arlene remembers how nice it was to have Dana’s undivided attention, the tears seem to return, “I’m fine.”

“That’s my line!” Dana waits, stirs her coffee. 

“I haven’t been here for years. I’ve been out of town, caring for my mom and my son, until mum died. I don’t think anyone has asked me how I’ve been for years. I’ve become one of those invisible women.”

“You look amazing, Arlene. You always looked incredible, I’d still be wearing suits disguised as boxes if it wasn’t for you.”

Arlene smiles. “I remember seeing you out on a date with Mulder at the Starlight bar. I was going to kill him, if it wasn't you.”

“Oh God, that was the opening night. I’ve still got those boots somewhere.” Dana blushes, “it was a...hmmm.... special date.”

Arlene takes that to mean a million things. “Walter Skinner asked me to pick up some work from him later so I thought I’d get here early.” She pauses, “I’m so sorry about what I said…I had no right to tell you what was right for your son back then.”

“Yes, you did, you were worried for us. Mulder was missing and I was desperate,” Dana pats her hand and Arlene sees a small tattoo on her wedding finger, “if you had said nothing at all, I would have thought you didn’t care and that would have been worse. We got back in touch with William about eighteen months ago now.”

“Wow! Did he do okay?”

Dana digs out her phone from her coat pocket and shows her a photo, “He’s called Jackson now. He’s not in our lives all the while, but he stops by now and then.”

“He looks like you both, he has Mulder's eyes!” They both smile wistfully. Arlene notes ‘our’ and is about to ask about Fox Mulder, but Dana prompts her about her life again. “I’ve got dinner with Walter this evening too.”

“Arlene, that’s wonderful, he’s been so unwell. We have been so worried about him.”

“I didn’t know until I saw the newspaper report about his injuries and emailed him. After I left the FBI, it wasn’t easy to stay in touch. I guess I missed my job too much.”

“And the people you worked with?” muses Dana.

Arlene spies her chance, “And you? Did you miss the people you worked with? Or just one specific man?”

Dana blushes, “Too much. Ah, well you may as well know we’re still nauseatingly together.” 

“I’m so pleased.” Arlene smiles, “I thought when that bitch Fowler came back that you might lose your way.”

“We did for a bit. Not because of her. We realised that being on the run, you know about that? And then living together wasn’t a stable ground. We got on each other’s nerves a bit too much but we managed a conversation about it, you would be proud of us, and starting dating like a real couple.”

“Dating? A real couple, you were more of a couple before you starting dating!” Arlene looks confused.

“We never did that dating thing though. The only time we went for a meal was the Starlight. We were always working and even when we got together it was with too much hanging over us. I was working all hours at hospital. When a flat came up to rent close by, we decided I’d take it and we’d start to date. Do the thing we missed and get to know each other without the FBI. Mulder called it romancing.”

“Don’t tell me, six years of romancing?”

Dana laughs, “I would have self-combusted if it was! The FBI wanted us back so we fell back together. And my flat blew up.”

“When is life ever simple for you two?” Arlene sighs, thinking back on all her friends have been through and probably misses a lot.

“It’s much better now.” Her friend picks up her mobile and a tender look passes her face as a text flashes up, “Speak of the devil, it’s Mulder, do you want to come with me, he’ll be so pleased to see you.”

Arlene doesn’t need to be asked twice and chats to Dana as they walk through the streets. She learns that they live in a small house outside the city and they share a mutual sorrow of the passing of their mothers. 

Turning a corner, they come to a stop at an outdoor play area. To Arlene’s astonishment she sees Fox Mulder swinging a small child in the air, with a scruffy dog between his legs. Instinctively he seems to know that Dana is close by before the child or dog notice. He jogs over with a curious smile that becomes a grin as he recognises her face.

“Arlene! Look at you, how are you?” He pulls into a one arm hug over the railings and settles the dog with a low whistle. He is older but she doesn’t think she’s seen him look happier, healthier or more handsome for it. 

“I’m good, thank you, I’m sure Agent Scully will fill you in on the gossip! You both look wonderful."

Dana blushes, “Dana Mulder to my friends.”

“Oh! You two got married!” Arlene grins, she’s finally got the answer to the question she’s wanted to ask but didn’t hope, seeing a similar inked design on Mulder’s hand as he holds his daughter’s waist.

"About 18 months ago, before this miracle arrived. Your crazy friend proposed in a church!" Mulder smiles at his wife before turning to the child in his arms, “Melissa, meet Arlene, Daggoo dog, meet Arlene. You’ll be seeing a lot more of her, I hope. You’ll come and visit?” 

Arlene leaves the couple chatting under the swirling leaves of the autumn trees. It’s not far to the bar where she’s agreed to meet Walter and she finds that she’s lost the nerves that had beset her in the coffee shop. Perhaps the Mulders as they tell her, are a good conversation opener just as they always were. Maybe they can visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've taken a completely different turn on the 'split' and decided they lived apart and began dating instead and that the words Scully says to Mulder in the church in Season 11 are 'let's get married' or words to that effect. I can't think of what else she may have said other than 'I'm coming home' that may have lead to his reply.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been reading lots of the amazing work, never written here before but felt I ought to pay back. I haven't watched the show for ages, the infertility storyline is too personal, but remember it first time around and how brilliant and scary it was.
> 
> Usual disclaimers etc. Runs away, hides in basement.


End file.
